In recent years, many people have turned their backs on city life and their high powered jobs to move to the countryside. For some, it is simply returning to their countryside roots after a stint in the city where they have made their fortune. For others, it is the realization of a life's dream.

For many city dwellers, living in the countryside has many romantic connotations: being surrounded by beautiful scenery, breathing the fresh air and enjoying a more relaxed pace of life. City dwellers may have only experienced the best aspects of country life when paying a holiday visit during the summer. The reality of country living may be somewhat different. If you are living next to a farm, you may have to put up with the noise of farm machinery, possibly early in the morning. Sometimes when farmers are spraying fertilizer in the fields there may be an awful smell. When you have bought your country house, it may be an idyllic and pretty country cottage but if you are next to a farm, there's nothing to stop farmers erecting a lot of ugly modern steel and concrete farm buildings around you. During the autumn and winter months, the ground turns into thick mud and the only way to get around is in wellies. Finally, you may miss many of the convenience of city living like electricity and gas supplied under the ground directly to your home. Many country areas are very isolated and you may have to get used to really stocking up in case of thick snow and other freak weather conditions.

I hope this has not put you off considering the country life. There are many people who live in the country and would never consider city life and it's downsides like pollution, noise and many other troubles.

The main reasons for buying agricultural property are:

• buying more farmland to add to a farming business
• buying farmhouses and land to convert for residential use
• buying farm property to convert for holiday and recreational use, be it hotels or outdoor activity centers
• buying a small holding to pursue a lifetimes ambition for professionals hoping to run a farming business in their semi-retirement years.

As a side note, in recent years it has become a very popular thing for the british to buy agricultural property in France to convert for residential or holiday use.

When buying land in the countryside, there are the following caveats to look out for:

• Rights of way - There may be footpaths and bridle ways that are open to public use. This is fine if you are prepared to allow strangers on your property.
• Boundaries - make sure you know who is responsible for maintenance of fencing around your land
• Domestic animals - be careful you don't have dogs that injure a neighboring farmer's livestock. Dogs especially and cause a lot of damage to sheep. The farmer has a right to shoot your dog under these circumstances and the farmer has a right to compensation from you for any livestock lost.
• Smallholding business - if you don't have any agricultural experience, you need to ask an experienced farmer to advise you on the value of the land. These days many farmers are struggling to make a living.
• Planning - Planning authorities generally do not easily grant permission to build a cottage in the middle of farmland and would prefer new houses to be built in a village. Only farmers with a strong need for extra accommodation are likely to get permission